Migrate from Sentian Solutions to Mailchimp

Sentian contact records map 1:1 to Mailchimp audience members. Email address, first name, last name, phone, and address fields migrate to Mailchimp's standard contact fields. Each contact lands as a single audience member with all available data preserved in standard and merge fields.

Mailchimp has no company object. Sentian's primary company per contact maps to a dedicated 'Company' merge field. Any additional company associations (Sentian supports N:1 contact-to-company) migrate as tags with the company name so segmentation by firm is available in Mailchimp.

Mailchimp has no opportunity or deal object. Sentian deal names and amounts store as Mailchimp custom merge fields (Deal_Name__c, Deal_Amount__c). Contacts associated with active deals receive a tag matching the deal name for segmentation. Deal stage values migrate as tags or a pick-list merge field.

Sentian task subjects and last activity dates migrate as merge fields. Task body content (notes, descriptions) stores as a searchable tag since Mailchimp has no native activity log. This preserves the most recent activity context for segmentation without losing the data entirely.

Sentian custom fields that are not standard Mailchimp fields map to Mailchimp merge fields. Field types are converted: text to text merge field, numeric to number merge field, date to date merge field. Mailchimp merge field names are uppercase with underscores (MAX 30 characters). We deliver a merge field creation plan before import.

Sentian lifecycle or status stages (active, pending, closed) have no direct Mailchimp equivalent. These migrate as a custom pick-list merge field with exact values preserved. Status-based segmentation is rebuilt in Mailchimp using merge field conditions and tags. Each lifecycle stage becomes a filterable attribute, enabling targeted campaigns based on where contacts stand in your pipeline and allowing you to monitor progression through stages via Mailchimp's segment builder.

Mailchimp has no document or file attachment storage tied to contacts. Sentian file attachments are flagged in the migration plan for manual transfer via Google Drive, Dropbox, or SharePoint links. We provide a file manifest exported from Sentian to guide this process.

Sentian contacts with an unsubscribe flag are exported and imported into Mailchimp's suppression list before the main audience import. This prevents accidentally re-engaging contacts who opted out in Sentian. Bounce records receive the same treatment. By pre-loading suppressions before the main import, you protect your sender reputation and maintain inbox placement rates. Contacts with ambiguous status in Sentian are flagged for manual review before the suppression list is finalized, ensuring no opted-out contacts slip through during the audience import.

Sentian owner assignments map to a custom merge field (Owner_Name__c) storing the owner name. Mailchimp does not have a user assignment model for contacts. Owner-based routing of contacts to Mailchimp account admins is handled by tagging or a dedicated merge field.

Email addresses migrate directly to Mailchimp's EMAIL field. All contacts are validated for format before import, checking for proper syntax, domain existence, and common typos. Hard bounces identified during import are added to Mailchimp's suppression list automatically. Soft bounces are logged and monitored post-import — if they convert to hard bounces within the settling period, they move to suppression automatically. This validation workflow maintains list hygiene from the moment the audience is created.